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Image processing apparatus and method, and recording medium

a technology of image processing and recording medium, which is applied in the field of image processing apparatus and method and recording medium, can solve the problems of image quality degradation, image read with a color device (digital camera or scanner) without using any color management system (cms), and image quality degradation of output imag

Inactive Publication Date: 2007-03-20
CANON KK
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides an image processing apparatus and method that can quickly correct image data by analyzing reduced image information and setting a correction parameter based on the analysis result. The apparatus allows users to set various conditions associated with image correction and provides a more suitable print environment. Additionally, the apparatus can determine a correction parameter for image data held in a device and add the parameter to the image data file in advance for high-speed image correction processing at the time of output. Overall, the invention allows for efficient and effective image correction processing.

Problems solved by technology

Conventionally, an image read with a color device (digital camera or scanner) without using any color management system (CMS) tends to be an image poor in quality because the contrast is weak or saturation is low because of, e.g., inappropriate gamma adjustment.
When such a poor-quality image is directly printed, only a printout with a considerably degraded image quality is obtained.
Although the processing speed can be increased with this method, the processing resolution becomes low, and appropriate correction processing cannot be performed, resulting in degradation in quality of the output image.

Method used

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  • Image processing apparatus and method, and recording medium
  • Image processing apparatus and method, and recording medium
  • Image processing apparatus and method, and recording medium

Examples

Experimental program
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first embodiment

[0040]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an image processing apparatus according to the Referring to FIG. 1, an image input section 10 is a color device (digital camera or scanner) without using any color management system (CMS). An image processing section 11 performs various image processing operations including image correction processing as the characteristic feature of this embodiment. An operation section 12 such as an operation panel allows a user to input a command or notifies the user of the state of the image processing apparatus. An image display section 13 such as a CRT displays image data. A communication section 14 transmits or receives image data. For example, the communication section 14 is connected to an external host computer to perform the same image input processing as in the image input section 10 or the same image output processing as in an image output section 15. The image output section 15 prints and outputs image data on a printing mediu...

second embodiment

[0065]As the characteristic feature of the second embodiment, reduced image information added to an image file is read by the printer driver via an application and OS, reduced image data is generated on the basis of the reduced image information and analyzed on the printer driver side, thereby setting image correction parameters.

[0066]FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the functional arrangement in an image processing section 11 according to the second embodiment. The same reference numerals as in FIG. 2 described in the first embodiment denote the same parts in FIG. 6, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0067]Image data input from an image input section 10 is stored in a memory section 21. The image data storage formats in the memory section 21 in the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 7.

[0068]Image data from the image input section 10 is input to the memory section 21 as a file 71 shown in FIG. 7. As the characteristic feature of this embodim...

third embodiment

[0081]The general idea of operation in the third embodiment will be described first. FIGS. 9A to 9C and 10A to 10C are views showing examples of display windows for printer color adjustment on an operation section 12.

[0082]FIG. 9A shows a window W11 as a printer color adjustment window. In the window W11, when “Auto Color Manager” is selected for normal printing by the printer, appropriate correction processing is performed in accordance with image data to be printed.

[0083]If a gamma correction tag can be used in image data to be printed, correction using the gamma correction tag is automatically done. If no gamma correction tag can be used, the reduced image of the image is searched for. If the reduced image is present, the gamma correction value is determined by analyzing the reduced image. If no reduced image is present, the gamma correction value is determined by analyzing the entire image data. In this way, in the “Auto Color Manager” mode, optimum processing is automatically s...

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PUM

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Abstract

Conventionally, when a correction parameter is determined on the basis of the feature of an image obtained by analyzing image data, and the image is corrected, the processing speed becomes considerably low. In this invention, for an image file stored in an apparatus, reduced image data held in the file is analyzed to determine a correction parameter in printing, and the image is corrected on the basis of the correction parameter, thereby shortening the processing time. When an appropriate correction parameter is determined for an image file stored in the apparatus and added to the file in advance before printing, and the image is corrected on the basis of the correction parameter in printing, the processing time is further shortened.

Description

[0001]This application is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 09 / 428,454, filed Oct. 28, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,836,565.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method and a recording medium and, more particularly, to an image processing apparatus and method which correct image data, and a recording medium.[0003]Conventionally, an image read with a color device (digital camera or scanner) without using any color management system (CMS) tends to be an image poor in quality because the contrast is weak or saturation is low because of, e.g., inappropriate gamma adjustment. When such a poor-quality image is directly printed, only a printout with a considerably degraded image quality is obtained.[0004]To solve this problem, before an input poor-quality image is printed, image data already stored in a storage device or the like is accessed and analyzed to obtain the feature of the image. When the image data is approp...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Patents(United States)
IPC IPC(8): G06K9/00G06T5/00H04N1/407
CPCH04N1/407G06T5/00
Inventor NISHIKAWA, NAOYUKI
Owner CANON KK